Controversey surrounds the phylogeography and origin of the R haplotype among Native Americans.
Some researchers have suggested that Europeans spread this haplotype among Native Americans. The purpose
of this study was to determine the origin of the R-M173 y-chromosome among Native Americans . It is the
third most frequent y-chromosome possessed by Native Americans. Native Americans with the highest
frequency of R-M173 haplotypes like the Ojibwa and Seminoles mated frequently with African males. Our
findings indicate that the African male, Native American female pattern of mating in the United States
probably led to the introduction and spread of R-M173 among Native Americans during slavery.